Air conditioned display compartment and method



Dec. 2, 1958 E. w: SIMONS 2,862,369

I AIR CONDITIONED DISPLAY COMPARTMENT AND METHOD Filed Aug. 30, 1956 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

EDWARD W SIMONS @A, MZ

ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1958 E. w. SIMONS 2,862,369

AIR CONDITIONED DISPLAY COMPARTMENT AND METHOD Filed Aug. 30, 1956 5Sheets-Sheet 2 M Y W INVENTOR. EDWARD W. SIMONS ATTORNEYS E. w. SIMONS2,862,369

AIR CONDITIONED DISPLAY COMPARTMEZNT AND METHOD Dec. 2, 1958 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. so, 1956 INVENTOR. EDWARD VV- SIMONS ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent AIR CONDITIONED DISPLAY COMPARTMENT AND METHOD"Edward W. Simons, San Francisco, Calif.

Application August 30, 1956, Serial N 0. 607,112

15 Claims. (Cl. 62-89) This invention relates to apparatus and a methodfor isolating the interior of a compartment or the like from theinfluence of the. surrounding atmosphere.

' One form of the invention herein described is useful in the field ofrefrigerated display cases for frozen food products where it has beenfound desirable to display such products in open cases'in stores so thatthe purchaser may simply pick up the item he wishes from the casewithout having to open and close a door or other closure.

In order to provide an open display case it has heretofore been thepractice to make the cases in the form of a box with an open top.Conventionally these boxes extend from the floor to perhaps waist leveland the food items are stacked therein. The purchaser must then reachdown through the open top and into. the box to select the desired itemand often must rearrange the stacked items in making his choice.

It has been thought necessary, however, to construct such display casesin vthis manner to avoid unduemovement of air from the interior of thebox, for, obviously, the heavier, refrigerated air in .the box tends toremain therein rather than rising out of the open top. Were the box openon the side, the interior conditioned air would likely spill out on thefloor and be replaced by warmer atmospheric air thereby destroying therefrigeration effect of the case.

From the standpoint of the purchaser the conventional display case, ofnecessity open only at the top, may be particularly awkward.Forinstance, the labels on only the top packages can be seen and it isoften necessary to reach down in the case to bring forth the desireditem or to appraise the available selection. This, of course, disruptsthe display. Likewise, the mere act of picking an item from theconventional case involves bending over and reaching down into the casesince the same cannot be placed at eye or arm level.

Conventional display cases of this type also require a relatively largeamount of floor space compared to the number of items displayed. In asmall store the crowding of such a case may substantially reduce itspracticability. 7

It is therefore an objectof this invention to overcome many of thedisadvantages of prior art display cases.

Similar difficulties may attend the use of cases or compartments inwhich it is desired to maintain air conditions other than atmospheric,but which, rather than being refrigerated, are heated, humidified, etc.The present invention also contemplates such applications of theinvention. I

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel method ofisolating the interior of a compartment from the influence ofatmospheric conditions.

. Still another object of this invention is the provision of acompartment having a side open to the atmosphere in which the interioris conditionedand atmospheric air is prevented from entering said openside. 7

- LA i l tl a i Ob e t. qf l s i v n io is the p o n f ice a compartmenthaving an open side and means fo shielding said open side against thepassage of 'air into or out of said compartrnentthrough said open side,but which means does not interfere with access to the interior of saidcompartment.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:'

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of a' display case constructed inaccordance with this invention;

' Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line 22 of Fig.l; i

Fig. '3 is a greatly enlarged sectional view of an adjustable nozzlestructure for the" case'of Fig. 2; arid Fig. 4 is an isometricsectionalvie'wlooking at the back of the case and the side thereof as ifit were cut along line 22 of Fig. l, with the back panels broken away to'show structural details.

'In detail, this invention is illustrated in the form of a display caseor cabinet for refrigerated food products or the like. The cabinet isprovided with a'rear wall 1, a top and bottom 2 and 3, and opposed endwalls 4. The front or display side of the cabinet is open to theatmosphere as shownin Fig. 2. The cabinet is also provided with aplurality of shelves 5 intermediate the .top and bottom, in much thesame manner as a bookcase. These shelves divide the cabinet into aplurality of separate compartments which are generally similar inconstruction.

In effect, the display case is in the form of several open sidedcompartments stacked one upon the other. In Fig. 2 these compartmentsare denoted by the reference numeral 6, for the upper compartmentboundedby the top 2, rear wall 1, and the upper shelf 5; mimeral 7, for thecentral compartment bounded by the shelves 5 and rear wall ,1; andnumeral ,8 for. the lower compartment bounded by the lower shelf 5, rearwall 1, andthe bottom 3 of the compartment. It is obvious that the endsof the compartments are formed by end walls 4 of the cabinet.

Rear wall 1 is. seen to comprise three separate air chambers 9, 10, 11in side by side relation. Likewise, each shelf .5 incorporates threeoverlying air ducts or conduits 12, 13, 14. A similar duct 14 isprovided at the upper side of upper compartment 6 and the bottom oflower. compartment 8 is formedto provide similar,

'overlyingducts 12,.13. I

Housed in the upper end of the display cabinet are air conditioning andcirculating means comprising refrigerating coils 17 and preferablyaplurality of fans 18. Fans 18 may all be mounted on the same shaft .19(Fig. 1) to be driven bya motor 20. Since the conditioning or chillingofthe air to be circulated in apparatus of this invention isaccomplished in the upper part of the cabinet housing coils 17 and fans18, the same should be enclosed in insulation, as at 21. The output offans 18 is guided downwardly by louvers 22 (Fig. 2) into air chamber 11as shown by thedot-dash lines 23. The input air to fans 18 is drawn fromchamber 10 as shown I by dot-dot-dash' lines 24.

It will later become obvious that the air circulating and. conditioningmeans '17, 18 may be mounted, in a unit separate from the display caseand connected thereto 'by appropriate ducts. Similarly the case may bein the form of a single compartment if shelving is not desired.

Air chamber 11 communicates with each shelf duct 12 by means of anopening 25 through the inner wall of chamber 11. Similarly, chamber 10communicates with each shelf duct 14 by means of a short cross duct 26extending through chamber 11, with the exception ofthe uppermost duct 14which opens into the chamber in which the refrigerating coils 17 andfans 18 are housed.

In the lower portion of the cabinet aremounted a plurality of aircirculatingv fans 28:driven through a common shaft v29 by motor30 (Fig.-1). The housing in Whiehfans 28 are mounted is louvered, as at 31, soas to admit atmospheric air to said fans which circulate the sameintoair chamber 9 as denoted ,by solid line arrows 32.Chamber9-comrnunicates with each shelf duct 13 by means of a cross.duct27 which-.extendsfrom chamber-9 through chambers 10 and 11 to eachduct 13.

At the outer free :ends' of shelf ducts '12, 13 the same are formed.with a pairof elongatedupwardly directed nozzles 33, 34 (Figs. 2, 3)which extend along the lower edgesof'the open side 'of .the:compartmentsinside by side relationship. 'The air forcedthrough ducts 12, 13 by fans18, 28, respectively issues from said-nozzles and moves upwardly acrossthe openside of compartments 6, 7, 8 inapair ofaidjoining layersof air35,36 (Fig. 2). Directly above each pair of-nozzles33, 34 is adownwardly projecting lip37 which acts as a divider for maintaining theairjlayers separate. The outer layer 36, of atmospheric aircirculated'by fans 28, is directed outwardly of the compartments once ithas passed overthe open side thereof.

The inner layer 35, of chilled air circulated by fans 18, is directedinto the open end 38 of return duct 14 adjacent each divider 37. As' aconsequence, the air circulated by fans 18 is first chilled'by beingpulled through refrigerating coils '17 and then directed through chamber.11, ducts 12, out of nozzles 33, across the open side of eachcompartment and back through ducts 14 and cham- 'ber10 to return tofans18'.

It is seen, therefore, that of the two layers of air movingsimultaneously across the open side'of compartments 6,7, 8, the innerlayer 35 i conditioned or chilled air continuously recirculated by fans18. The outer layer ,36 is exterior or atmospheric air circulated byfans 28.

In a food display cabinet of the type described, the interior ofcompartments 6, 7, 8 is conditioned to a predetermined temperature whichis desired to be maintained. Thefact thatchambers 11 and ducts 12 and14, through which the. chilled air is circulated, are adjacent the innerwalls of the compartments assist in maintaining the desiredpredetermined temperature Within the compartment.

Thespeedsat which the layers of air.35, 36 issue from nozzles 33, 34 isadjusted to the relation at which no substantial entrainment takes placebetween the layers. Layers 35, 36 adjoin each other along thenonentraining line 39 (Fig.2), but .there is little, if any, mixturebetween the two. The airlayers 35, 36 therefore form a substantiallycontinuous air curtain across the open side of compartments .6, 7, .8and effectively isolate the interior of said compartments from theeifects of the atmosphere.

Some small amount of air from inner layer 35 may enter the compartment,rather than being drawn into re- :turn duct 14, and circulate Within thecompartment, thus keeping the contents, such as food packages 40 (Fig.2) sweet and at the desired temperature. The slight amount of cold airfrom layer 35 that may enter outer layer 36 will fall to the bottom ofthe room in which the display case is situated and will be-Jater pickedup by fans 28 and recirculated, thereby tending to reduce thetemperatureof outer layer 36.

The condition at which no substantial entrainment between layers 35, 36takes place is characterized by substantially equal velocity of thelayers. The adjustment of the speeds of the air issuing'from the nozzles33, 34 in order to achieve nonentrainment between the layers, may beeasily accomplished by adjustment of the output of fans 18, 28.

It is also desirable to provide for some adjustment of the direction ofnozzles 33, 34 in the event that it becomes necessary to slightly changethe direction of layers 35, 36 to obtain optimum efliciency. Fig. 3illustrates a simple means for performing this function, comprising aplate 42 having elongated apertures 43, 44 therethrough superimposedover nozzles 33,34 respectively. Plate 42 may be secured in thisposition by means .of screws 45, 46 on opposite sides of-said apertures.Opposite tightening and loosening of screws'45, 46 will cause plate 42to rotate slightly from, forexample, the solid line position of Fig. 3to the dot-dashline position 47, thereby altering slightly the directionof issuance of the air layers 35, 36 from nozzles 33, 34'and apertures.43, .44.

it will also be noted that shelves 5 may be provided with flanges 48(Fig. 2) so that the shelves may be removably secured in place, as bymeans of screws 49. Cross ducts 26, 27'andopenings 25 may also be placedat intermediate locations and covered by a removable plate 5% whichmaybeinterchanged with the removable shelf. Flexibility is had "inthis-manner so that the positioning of the shelves .in the cabinet maybe altered at will.

The display case shown and described may be constructed predominately ofsheet metal and is preferably provided with an evacuated reflectivespace in the shelf panels in accordance with good refrigerationpractice. Similarly, a high velocity evaporation jet 51 (Fig. 2) and acondensation evaporator- 52 may be provided below fans 28 to trapoutexces moisture in'the atmospheric air circulated by said fans. Jet'51 is formed by an elongated by-pass opening extending across the backof the display cabinet near the bottom of rear wall '1. Opening '51communicates between chamber 9 and evaporator space 52 which is ventedto theatmosphere, as at 54.

A portion of the air circulated by .fans 29 is forced at high velocitythrough .jet51 and evaporator 52 to evaporate and exhaust moisturecondensing on the walls of chamber'9 and ducts 13 and draining intoevaporator 52. It will be noted that the top panel '55 of evaporator 52is slanted downwardly to the rearof the cabinet to facilitatesuchdrainage.

When displaying food packages, such as 40, (Fig. 2) in a cabinet of thistype it has been found desirable to provide a piling stud 53 adjacentinner nozzle 33 so that the. packages will all be stacked in a positionspaced inwardly from said nozzle so a to not interfere with the flow ofair layer 35. The speed of the air layers 35, 36 issuing from nozzles33, .34 determined most effective is :in the neighborhood of2000 feetper minute, but this speed may be varied generally between 500 and 4000feet per minute without destroying the utility of the invention.

It will be understood, of course, that the principles involved in thisinvention may be applied to isolating the interior of various types ofcompartments, the conditioning of which may relate totemperature,humidity, or other factors. One of the principal advantages in the fooddisplay case described is the fact that the products may .be prominentlydisplayed and at the same time the interior of the compartment iseffectively shielded from atmospheric conditions without the necessityof providing -a..d0or 'or other solid closure across .the open side ofthe compartment.

Although the invention has been described and illus trated in detail,.such is not to be takenas restrictive thereof since it is obvious thatmodifications could be made therein without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. The method of isolating the interior of acompartment having'anopen'side from the influence of ambient atmosphere and maintaining apredetermined air condition within said compartment other thanatmospheric that comprises the steps of: conditioning the'interior'ofsaid a compartment torsaid desired condition and simultaneously moving apair of parallel contacting layers of air across the open side of saidcompartment in the same direction at substantially equal speeds wherebyno substantial entrainment takes place between said layers, one layer ofsaid pair being approximately at said desired predetermined conditionand defining a substantially'continuous air curtain at said open sideand next to said compartment, the other layer of said pair being ambientair and defining a continuous air curtain on the opposite side of saidone layer from said compartment.

2. The method of isolating the interior of a compartment having an openside from the influence of ambient atmosphere and maintaining apredetermined air condition within said compartment other thanatmospheric that comprises the steps of: conditioning the interior ofsaid compartment to said desired condition and simultaneously moving apair of parallel contacting layers of air across the open side of saidcompartment in the same direction at substantially equal speeds wherebyno substantial entrainment takes place between said layers, one layer ofsaid pair being approximately at said desired predetermined conditionand defining a substantially continuous air curtain at said open sideand next to said compartment, the other layer of said pair being ambientair and defining a continuous air curtain on the opposite side of saidone layer from said compartment, said conditioning being accomplished bycirculating a portion of the air of said one layer in the interior ofsaid compartment.

3. The method of isolating the interior of a compartment having an openside from the influence of ambient atmosphere and maintaining apredetermined air condition within said compartment other thanatmospheric that comprises the steps of: conditioning the interior ofsaid compartment to said desired condition and simultaneously moving apair of parallel contacting layers of air across the open side of saidcompartment in the same direction at substantially equal speeds wherebyno substantial entrainment-takes place between said layers, one layer ofsaid pair being approximately at said desired predetermined conditionand defining a substantially continuous air curtain at said open sideand next to said compartment, the other layer of said pair being ambientair and defining a continuous air curtain on the opposite side of saidone layer from said compartment.

4. The method of isolating the interior of a compartment having an openside from the influence of atmospheric temperature and maintaining apredetermined temperature within said compartment other than atmospherictemperature that comprises the steps of: conditioning the interior ofsaid compartment to said desired predetermined temperature, andsimultaneously moving a pair of parallel contacting layers of air acrossthe open side of said compartment in the same direction at substantiallyequal speeds whereby no substantial entrainment takes place between saidlayers, one layer of said pair being approximately at said desiredpredetermined temperature and defining a substantially continuous aircurtain at said open side and next to said compartment, the other layerof said pair being at atmospheric temperature and defining a continuousair' curtain on the opposite side of said one layer from saidcompartment.

5. The method of isolating the interior of a compartment having an openside from the influence of atmospheric temperature and maintaining apredetermined temperature within said compartment other than atmospherictemperature that comprises the steps of: conditioning the interior ofsaid compartment to said desired predetermined temperature, andsimultaneously moving a pair of parallel contacting layers of air acrossthe open side of said compartment in the same direction at substantiallyequal speeds whereby no substantial entrainment takes place between saidlayers, one layer of said pair being approximately at said desiredpredetermined temperature and defining a substantially continuous aircurtain at said open side and next to said compartment, the other layerof said pair being at atmospheric temperature and defining a continuousair curtain on the opposite side of said one layer from saidcompartment, and circulating a portion of the air of said one layerthrough the interior of said compartment for maintaining fresh airtherein.

6. The method of isolating the interior of a compartment having an openside from the influence of atmospheric temperature and maintaining apredetermined temperature within said compartment other than atmospherictemperature that comprises the steps of: conditioning the interior ofsaid compartment to said desired predetermined temperature, andsimultaneously moving a pair of parallel contacting layers of air acrossthe open side of said compartment in the same direction at substantiallyequal speeds whereby no substantial entrainment takes place between saidlayers, one layerof said pair being approximately at said desiredpredetermined temperature and defining a substantially continuous aircurtain at said open side and next to said comparament, the other layerof said pair being at atmospheric temperature and defining a continuousair curtain on the opposite side of said one'layer from saidcompartment, and then conducting the air of said one layer adjacent oneor more of the walls of said compartment and back across said open side,and conditioning the air of said one layer to maintain its saidpredetermined temperature before conducting it back across said openside.

7. The method of isolating the interior of a compartment having an openside from the influence of atmospheric temperature and maintaining apredetermined temperature within said compartment other than atmospherictemperature that comprises the steps of: conditioning the interior ofsaid compartment to said desired predetermined temperature, andsimultaneously moving a pair of parallel contacting layers of air acrossthe open side of said compartment in the same direction at substantiallyequal speeds whereby no substantial entrainment takes place between saidlayers, one layer of said pair being approximately at said desiredpredetermined temperature and defining a substantially continuous aircurtain at said open side and next to said compartment, the other layerof said pair being at atmospheric temperature and defining a continuousair curtain on the opposite side of said one layer from saidcompartment, and then conducting the air of said one layer adjacent oneor more of the walls of said compartment and back across said open side,and conditioning the air of said one layer to maintain its saidpredetermined temperature before conducting it back across said openside, and exhausting said other layer to the atmosphere.

8. An air conditioned display case comprising: a compartment having anopen side, a pair of elongated nozzles in parallel, side-by-siderelationship extending continuously along the length of one edge of saidopen side and directed toward an opposite edge thereof, a pair of aircirculating means respectively connected to said nozzles forsimultaneously forcing air outwardly thereof in a pair of parallelcontacting layers across said open side of said compartment, and meansfor conditioning the air forced through the one of said nozzles that isadjacent the interior of said compartment.

9. An air conditioned display case comprising: a compartment having anopen side, a pair of elongated nozzles in parallel, side-by-siderelationship extending continuously along the length of one edge of saidopen side and directed toward an opposite edge thereof, a pair of aircirculating means, first conduit means connecting one of saidcirculating means with the one of said nozzles adjacent the interi-or ofsaid compartment and second conduit means connecting the other of saidcirculating means to the other of isaid nozzles for respectivelyconducting air "to said nozzles for issuing therefrom in a pair ofadjoining layers -acro'ss said open-sideof said compartment, andreturn'conduit means, open adjacent said opposite edge 'of said openside of-said compartment, and extending to said one-circulating meansfor conducting air from the one of said layers issuing from said onenozzle to said one air circulatingmeans.

10. An air conditioned display case comprising: a compartment having-anopen side, a pair of elongated nozzles in parallel, side-by-siderelationship extending continuously along the length of one edge of saidopen side an'd directed toward an opposite edge thereof, a pair of-aircirculating means, first conduit means connecting one of saidcirculating means with the one of said nozales-adjacentthe interiorrofsaid compartment and second rnent,return conduit means, open adjacentsaid opposite edge of said open side of said compartment, and extendingto said one circulating means for conducting air from the one of saidlayers issuing from said one nozzle to said one air circulating means,and air conditioning means for conditioning the air circulated by saidone circulating means.

11. An air conditioned display case comprising: a compartment having anopen side, a pair of elongated nozzles in parallel, side-by-siderelationship extending continuously along the length of one edge of saidopen side and directed toward an opposite edge thereof, a pair of aircirculating means, first conduit means connecting one of saidcirculating means with the one of said nozzles adjacent the interior ofsaid compartment and second conduit means connecting the other of saidcirculating means to the other of said nozzles for respectivelyconducting air to said nozzles for issuing therefrom in a pair ofadjoining layers across said open side of said compartment, returnconduit means, open adjacent said opposite edge of said open side ofsaid compartment, and extending to said one circulating means forconducting air from the one of said layers issuing from said one nozzleto said one air circulating means, and air conditioning means forconditioning the air circulated by said one circulating means, said.first conduit means and said return conduit means extending along one ormore of the walls of said compartment.

12. An air conditioned display case comprising: a compartment having anopen side, a pair of elongated nozzles in parallel, side-by-siderelationship extending continuously along the length of one edge of saidopen side and directed toward an opposite edge thereof, a pair of aircirculating means respectively connected to said nozzles forsimultaneously forcing air outwardly thereof in apair of adjoininglayers across said open side of said compartment, and means forconditioning the air forced through the one of said nozzles that isadjacent the interior of said compartment, and means for adjusting thedirection of flow of said nozzles.

13. An air conditioned display case comprising: a compartment having anopen side, a pair of elongated noz- 'zles in parallel, side-by siderelationship extending along one-edge 'ofsaid'openside and directedtoward an oppo- -s ite"e'dge thereof, a pair of -air circulatingrneans'resp'ectively con'nected to' said nozzles forsimultaneoitslyforcing :airioutwardly thereof -in apa-irofadjoininglayers across said openside of said compartment, and means forconditioning the air f-orced through-the one ofsaid nozzles that isadjacent the interior of said compartment, and means for trappingandexhausting the excessmois'ture from-the rair forced through the other ofsaid nozzles.

14-. In an air conditioned, upright display case having a rear 'sidewall, opposed end -'walls and top and bottom walls and an open frontsideopposite said 'rear -wall,'a pair-of air circulating means, thr'eeairch'ar'nbers formed adjacent 'said rear wall, the first and second ofsaid chambers --respectively communicating with the input and outputsides of one of said pair of circulatingmeans and the third said-chambercommunicating with'the'output side of the other of "said circulatingmeans the input side of which communicates with theatmosphere,-airconditioningmeans'associated with said one circulating means forconditioning the air circulated thereby, a-pl'u- 'rality of verticallyspaced, detachable shelves extending horizontally from "said rear walltoward said open side, inner and :outer elongated nozzles in parallelside-byside relationship extending'along the free edge of each ofsaidshelvesiat said open side and directed upwardly toward the free edgeof'the shelf above said nozzles for issuing inner and outer adjoininglayers of air respectively across said open side, a return duct carriedby'each of-said shelves -and ext'endin'gfrdmthe rear edge thereof to'a'nopening on the underside of said shelf adjacent the *free'edge thereoffor receiving said inner layer of airissued by said innernozzle, innerand outer nozzleducts carried by-each of said shelves and respectivelyextending from the rear'edge thereof to said nozzles, connecting'meansprovided at vertically spaced locations on said rear "wall forrespectively connecting said first, second, and third chambers to saidreturn, inner and outer nozzle ducts of a shelf attached thereto, andmeans for blocking the connecting means not attached to a shelf.

15. An air conditioned display case'comprising: a compartment having anopen side, a pair of elongated nozzles in parallel, side-by-siderelationship extending :along one edge of said open side and directedtoward an opposite edge thereof, a pair of air circulating meansrespectively connected to said nozzles for simultaneously forcing airoutwardly thereof in a pair of adjoining layers across said open side ofsaid compartment, and means for conditioning the -air forced through theone ofsaid nozzles that is adjacent the interior of said compartment,and an elongated piling stud projecting upwardly from adjacent said onenozzle into the interior of said compartment for preventing the pilingof articles in a position interfering with the issuing of said layers ofair from said nozzles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS935,850 Kirk Oct. 5, 1909 "2,241,854 Hall May 13, 1941 2,593,702Schneible Apr. 12, 1952 2,775,187 McClu'rkin Dec. 25, 1956

